Arkansas County officials will enter their second hearing for the 2013 budget with $136,854 in unappropriated funds.

The second budget hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in a special meeting at the Arkansas County Courthouse in DeWitt.

The Arkansas County Quorum Court will once again look at the budget, which includes a 5 percent health insurance rate increase and a one percent retirement increase. No salary increase is expected.

Arkansas County Judge Glenn “Sonny” Cox has said next year’s income is expected to be flat, and Justices of the Peace are working to keep the budget as tight as possible.

At the first budget hearing, Justices of the Peace sought to cut back on road department basics, such as gravel, hauling and asphalt, while denying most requests for additional items.

Approved requests include a $20,000 new server for the Offices of the Arkansas County Assessor and Collector and $2,000 for the Arkansas County Clerk’s Office to outsource its Final Tax Settlement Services.

The first round of budget hearings freed up $3,352 for unappropriated funds, which is slightly higher than the 2012 budget’s unappropriated funds of $127,984 — the lowest figure the county has started a year with in 20 years.